tag: Sematech

Defective R&D Funding Models
By Mark LaPedus - 12 Dec, 2013 - Comments: 0

For years, the semiconductor equipment industry has been dealing with an R&D funding gap. Here’s the basic problem: Chipmakers demand certain tools for their next-generation processes, but they are not always willing to foot a large percentage of the R&D bill. And so, the equipment vendors develop the tools and assume a large part of R&D funding--and the risks. Fair or unf... » read more

Multi-Beam Begins To Shine
By Mark LaPedus - 17 Oct, 2013 - Comments: 0

After years of R&D and promises, multi-beam electron-beam technology is delayed and late to the market. The technology requires more funding and work than previously thought. And generally, the skepticism is running high for the technology. Finally, however, there is a ray of hope, and some momentum, in multi-beam—at least on the photomask front. Seeking to accelerate its multi-beam te... » read more

Challenges Mount For EUV Masks
By Mark LaPedus - 17 Oct, 2013 - Comments: 0

ASML Holding’s first production-worthy scanners for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography are expected to ship this year, but there are still a number of challenges to bring the technology into high-volume manufacturing. As before, the three main challenges for EUV are the power sources, resists and photomasks. To date, the resists are making progress, while the EUV power sources remain a ... » read more

High NA EUV Litho May Require Larger Photomask Size
By Jeff Chappell - 18 Jul, 2013 - Comments: 0

By Jeff Chappell With extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUV) potentially being used in pilot production in a few years, it raises the question of larger photomasks sizes—will the industry need them, and if so, when? While there has been discussion of late about the possible need to transition to a larger mask size, veterans of the mask business may feel it's déjà vu all over again. Back... » read more

The Week In Review: July 15
By Mark LaPedus - 15 Jul, 2013 - Comments: 0

By Mark LaPedus There are more problems surfacing with extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography. Yes, the light source remains a problem, but the resists appear to be in decent shape. “The next challenge is the mask blank,” said Stefan Wurm, director of Sematech’s lithography program. The new problem involves ion beam deposition, which apparently is causing defects and overfill on EUV masks... » read more

Manufacturing Bits: July 9
By Mark LaPedus - 09 Jul, 2013 - Comments: 0

Fishy Robots National University of Singapore (NUS) has developed a robotic fish that mimics the movements of a carp—a technology that could pave the way for more efficient autonomous underwater vehicles. This robot is classified as an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV). Applications include military, pipeline leakage detection, and the laying of communication cable. The robot could be u... » read more

Consortium Mania Sweeps 450mm Landscape
By Mark LaPedus - 20 Jun, 2013 - Comments: 0

By Mark LaPedus In the mid-1990s, the semiconductor industry embarked on a costly and problematic migration from 200mm to 300mm wafer fabs. At the time, the 300mm development efforts were in the hands of two groups—Sematech and a Japanese-led entity. The equipment industry was on the outside looking in. And as a result, the migration from 200mm to 300mm fabs was out of sync and a nightma... » read more

3D-IC Testing With The Mentor Graphics Tessent Platform
By Various Writers - 20 Jun, 2013 - Comments: 0

Three-dimensional stacked integrated circuits (3D-ICs) are composed of multiple stacked die, and are viewed as critical in helping the semiconductor industry keep pace with Moore's Law. Current integration and interconnect methods include wirebond and flip-chip and have been in production for some time. 3D chips connected via interposers are in production at Xilinx, Samsung, IBM, and Sematec... » read more

Waiting For 3D Metrology
By Mark LaPedus - 18 Apr, 2013 - Comments: 0

By Mark LaPedus Over the years, suppliers of metrology equipment have managed to meet the requirements for conventional planar chips. But tool vendors now find themselves behind in the emerging 3D chip era, prompting the urgent need for a new class of 3D metrology gear. 3D is a catch-all phrase that includes a range of new architectures, such as finFET transistors, 3D NAND and stacked-die ... » read more

Wanted: New Metrology Funding Models
By Mark LaPedus - 21 Mar, 2013 - Comments: 0

By Mark LaPedus The shift toward the 20nm node and beyond will require new and major breakthroughs in chip manufacturing. Most of the attention centers around lithography, gate stacks, interconnects, strain engineering and design-for-manufacturing (DFM). Lost in the conversation are two other critical but overlooked pieces in the manufacturing puzzle—wafer inspection and metrology. ... » read more

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